Retired Tipperary teacher helping to raise awareness of rare cancer

A retired teacher from Tipperary is helping to raise awareness of a rare form of cancer following his own shock diagnosis in 2007.

Retired English teacher Tom O’ Donoghue, who previously worked at the Abbey CBS in Tipperary town, was unveiled as one of the ‘Expand Your NETwork’ campaign ambassadors for 2018 after he was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) 11 years ago.

After undergoing eye surgery for a detached retina, the former GAA coach said he began experiencing double vision in one of his eyes when he was feeling tired. After a visit with his GP, he was sent for tests and subsequently diagnosed with NETs which is a form of rare slow growing cancers which form in cells in the neuroendocrine system.

“I was very fortunate in that I was diagnosed by accident," explains Tom who lives in Tipperary town with his wife.

“I had never heard of NETs prior to my diagnosis, I knew nothing about it. My doctor said he was giving me the best worst news; the bad news being I had cancer, the good news was that it was manageable. I was sent to Sweden for treatment, at the time the treatment wasn’t available here, it is now, but wasn’t then. That is when I learned about the condition. Finally, I understood the fatigue I was enduring. Every single day I have to take a rest for a couple of hours. It’s hard to describe the fatigue, not only is it tiredness in your body, it’s in your head too.

“I know some people would say, why me? I would say, why not me. I believe in living the best I can with the time I have. I live in the now. I pray to have a good attitude and I pray for acceptance of my diagnosis. I have a great life and I have a great quality of life. Yes, there are things I can’t do; but I’m 72! There are things I couldn’t do when I was 22. If someone was recently diagnosed I would advise; get busy doing the things you love within the energy levels you have. Meet people who have the condition, talk, and be kind to those who are trying to support you,” he added.

As part of the campaign, NET Patient Network is inviting all people in Tipperary living with NETs to attend their annual NET Patient Day event on Saturday 3rd November in the Devere Hall, University College Cork.

The event aims to bring together people living with NETs and their families to learn from one another and leading NET specialists about the management of the condition in a relaxed informal setting. Email on info@netpatientnetwork.ie to register for the event.